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For years, he’s been one of the most recognizable faces in entertainment — a man whose career has spanned decades, genres, and some of the biggest blockbusters ever made. Dictionaries& Encyclopedias
But long before the fame, the money the awards, and the global fanbase, his story was far more complicated.
His struggles began early
Born in New York City in the mid-1960s to a filmmaker father and an actress mother, he was introduced to the world of performance almost as soon as he could walk. Acting wasn’t just a dream — it was part of his upbringing.
He trained at a performing arts center as a teenager but ultimately dropped out of high school to chase his career full-time.
Even though many believed he was destined for a brilliant career in entertainment, life behind the scenes was far more complicated. His struggles began early — much earlier than most people would expect.
He has openly spoken about being exposed to drugs and alcohol as a child, something that would go on to shape much of his life.
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His father battled addiction, while his mother also struggled with alcoholism. In a shocking admission, he revealed that his father introduced him to marijuana when he was just a child — something his father would later deeply regret. Film& TV Production
”I passed him a joint. And suddenly I knew I had made a terrible, stupid mistake … giving a little kid a toke of grass just to be funny,” the father once shared.
Over time, those moments created a confusing emotional bond. He once explained, ”When my dad and I used drugs together, it was his way of showing love for me in the only manner he knew.”
Despite the instability at home, he was already stepping into the spotlight. As a young boy, he appeared in small roles in his father’s films, making his acting debut at just five years old. By the time he was seven, he had already taken on another role, showing early signs of the career that would later define him.
Hyperactive kid
He also spent time training at a prestigious summer acting camp in upstate New York, sharpening his skills from a young age.
In school, he was known as a hyperactive kid who tried hard to fit in — often getting teased by older students, yet still managing to be popular among his peers. But his family life soon took another turn when his parents divorced while he was still young. He moved to New York City with his mother, while his sister stayed with their father.
As he got older, his path became less structured. He attended multiple schools but eventually dropped out as a teenager, deciding to fully commit to acting.
It was a bold move — one that would set the stage for everything that followed.
By the late 1980s and early ’90s, he had firmly established himself as one of Hollywood’s rising stars. His breakout came through a series of teen films alongside the Brat Pack, including Weird Science (1985) and Less Than Zero (1987), which helped put him on the map.
Despite landing roles and gaining attention, the fan-favorite’s personal life became increasingly chaotic. His relationship with actress Sarah Jessica Parker lasted for several years, but even she couldn’t pull him away from his destructive habits. Crafts
“People around him would be dismissive of me, but I had given him stability and tried to create a steady heartbeat that allowed him to show up on time,” Parker told The New Yorker
The 1996 arrest
Unlike him, Parker stayed away from drugs and rarely drank alcohol — making her almost the complete opposite of her then-boyfriend, the rising Hollywood star.
But eventually, the relationship ended, and his addiction worsened.
By the mid-1990s, his life had taken a dramatic turn. Arrests, court appearances, and rehab stays became part of his reality.
In 1996, the actor was arrested by police. According to reports, he was pulled over in Malibu for speeding, after allegedly driving erratically and appearing to be under the influence.
During the stop, authorities reportedly discovered “black tar heroin, crack and powdered cocaine and an unloaded .357 Magnum handgun in his pickup truck.”
In one particularly bizarre incident, he was arrested after wandering into a stranger’s home, stripping down to his underwear, and falling asleep in a bed.
Even then, things didn’t immediately improve. He later admitted just how dangerous that period of his life had become, saying:
”I would never tell you the worst things that have happened to me.”